Apparatus for gumming the flaps of envelopes or bags



flame 23 1942. H. H. BEASLEY APPARATUS FOR GUMMING 'LHB- FLAPS 0F ENVELOPES OR BAGS Filed July 5, 1 941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR' ATTORNEY 9 1 H. H. BEASLEY ZRWJH APPARATUS FOR GUMMING THE FLAPS OF ENVELOPES OR BAGS Filed July 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiat Z H l L i i l {J INVENTOR Q I A. H. BA$4X ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1942 APPARATUS FOR GUMMING THE FLAPS OF ENVELOPES OR BAGS Harold Holinyard Beasley, Ashton Gate, Bristol,

England 1 Application July 5, 1941, Serial Nor 401,209 In Great Britain June 20, 1940 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the summing of the flaps of envelopes or bags and more particularly to apparatus for use in conjunction with envelope or bag making machines of the type in which the bags are manufactured from sheet material fed over a former and then brought to tubular form and cut into the appropriate en velope or bag lengths. Theinvention is also particularly useful in combination with appa ratus which receives the envelope or bag sections successively from the base closing stage and reverses the positions of the individual envelopes or bags so that instead of their baseclosed ends leading, their flaps are leading and the envelops or bags are superposed to form a continuous chain or line of envelopes or bags with their flaps exposed the predetermined amount for gumming.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of gumming the flaps of envelopes or bags. Another biect of this invention is to provide an apparatus which can be erected above the envelope or bag making machine so that its use will not add to the floor space involved for the assembly of a complete set of apparatus which shapes and gums envelopes or bags so that they issue ready for use.

The present invention contemplates arranging the envelopes or bags on conveying means in such manner that they form a continuous chain or line with their flaps exposed on one face the amount to be covered by gum, whereby a continuous gumming surface is presented to gum applying means and'this can be effected by means ofa conveyor adapted to maintain the envelopes or bags in overlapping relationship and in a continuous chain or line with their flaps presenting a continuous face to gumming means, the said gumming means being located in juxtaposition to one track of the conveying means, and means being provided to convey the summed envelopes or bags continuously from the'gumming stage to a delivery point.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, drawings are appended hereto illustrating an embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of one end of the apparatus, and

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the other end of the apparatus, these two views being separated for economy of space but in practice making a single apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing a bowed delivery conveyor and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic inverted plan view showing how the envelopes are arranged with their flaps presented to the gaming means.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus for gumming the envelopes is erected upon a substantially L-shaped lattice girder frame I, which has a depending entry end section 2 carrying suitable conveying means for lifting the envelopes from a feeding stage 3, to the upper horizontal portion of the frame which contains means'for conveying the envelopes to a gumming stage 4 at the other end of the frame.

The envelopes are arranged in a continuous stream or line overlapped in such manner as to expose their flaps wholly or partly on one face. This line of envelopes is indicated at the feeding stage by the heavy line 5 and it will be seen that the envelopes are carried in a continuous line upwardly between a conveyor belt 6 having one track located close to and concentric or parallel with another track of an endless belt '0, these two tracks being guided in the desired upward direction by means of a guiding plate 8. The said track of the belt 6 is carried over a drum 9 and the said track of the conveyor l is conveyed over a rollerlll in juxtaposition to the periphery of the drum 9. By this means the line or chain of envelopes is carried over the drum 9 on to the upper track of the lower of two conveyors H and 52. The lower conveyor M has its entry end in juxtaposition to the drum 9, and the envelopes are assisted on i to it by a supplementary roller is located close to the peripheries of and between the drum 9 and a cylinder it over which the appropriate end of the conveyor it travels. The lower track of the conveyor iZ is parallel with and close to the upper track of the conveyor H, and these two conveyors extend longitudinally along the horizontal or overhead part of the lattice girder frame i. Also the direction of travel of these two conveyors is indicated by arrows. The return ends of these two conveyors are determined by the cylinders 15 and It which are located in juxtaposition to the gumming stage i.

The chain or line of envelopes as it issues from between the two cylinders 95 and i6 enters between the lower track of a specially shaped conveyor H and the upper track of an endless brush it! which has gum'transferred to it from a reservoir H9. The conveyor ll comprises two laterally spaced tapes or belts which engage the marginal longitudinal parts of the envelopes and press the flaps of the envelopes which are presented face downwards against a longitudinal pair of guide rails 20 located parallel with and on opposite sides of the upper track of the endless brush II.

The brush covers the desired width of the envelope flaps to be gummed and the depth of gumming is determined by the extent of overlap of the envelopes, Fig. 4 showing how the envelopes are overlapped to present the desired area of inner face of each flap.

The parallel guide rails 20 support the envelopes as they issue from the gumming stage and directs the line of envelopes on to the entry end of an endless conveyor 2| which is guided tautly over half the circumference of a drum 22 supported by suitable bearings at one end of the frame I. Suitable adjustable or jockey pulleys 23 maintain the desired tension in the conveyor 2|. This conveyor 2! is preferably a pair of laterally spaced parallel belts which engage the marginal longitudinal parts of the envelopes so as not to contact with the gummed areas. As the gummed envelopes issue from the drum 22 they are delivered on to the upper track of an endless conveyor 24, such upper track being located between suitable guide rails 25 and 25a which extend to the other end of the frame I where the envelopes can be delivered in any suitable collecting means. The upper rails 25a are in duplicate and engage the edges of the envelopes on opposite sides of the gummed portion of the flaps.

The distance of travel of the envelopes along the frame I is useful because advantage can be taken thereof for the purpose of drying the gum on the envelope flaps and also thoroughly drying the envelopes before they reach the gumming stage, and for this purpose suitable heaters may be arranged in juxtaposition to the tracks of the conveyors which engage the envelopes.

The gumming apparatus is self-contained being adapted to gum the envelope flaps between the broken lines a indicated in Fig. 4 and being supported upon a suitable frame 20a which can be part of the normal envelope or bag making machinery. The conveyors II and I2 are supported at their upper tracks by horizontal rails 26 and 2! respectively.

The frame i can be supported in juxtaposition to this delivery end of the conveyors ll and I2 by means for effecting fine adjustments of the position of the frame. This means can comprise one or a pair of cams 30 on which rests rollers 3| on the adjacent parts of the frame i. Any suitable means being provided to lock the cams 30 in selected position. Likewise the cams 30 can be provided with regulating means for lifting the conveyors I! clear of the endless brush id for the purpose of effecting replacements or repairs or for removing. distorted or displaced envelopes or otherwise effecting appropriate adjustments. The other end of the frame is suitably supported by substantial bearings or pivots 35 to provide for this adjustment.

The conveyor 24 which delivers the gummed envelopes carries them past a drying zone and is preferably arranged so that its upper surface is bowed or suitably shaped by bending the guide rail 25 transversely and the guides 25a act as skids arranged along each edge of the conveyor to engage the edges of the envelopes clear of the gummed parts so that the envelopes are correspondingly bent or bowed with the object of preventing curling of the gummed flaps and also to prevent displacement of the envelopes at high speeds.

The rate of travel of the brush I8 is greater than the rate of travel of the chain of envelopes so that the flaps of the envelopes are maintained in proper overlapping relationship and adequately gummed. Also the rate of travel of the roller 22 and conveyor 2| is greater than the rate of travel of the envelopes at the gumming stage, whereby the envelopes are given a slight relative longitudinal separation as they pass on to the drum 22 and consequently all their gummed areas are adequately separated when the envelopes pass on to the upper track of the conveyor 25. By this means the envelopes are prevented from sticking together whilst being dried.

The normal envelope or bag making machinery is indicated by the various sections 33 so it will be seen that by means of the present invention there is provided apparatus which can be erected for the purpose of gumming the flaps of envelopes or bags as they are delivered from the shaping machine without however increasing the floor space necessary for such additional operation. The present invention also provides a method of gumming which ensures uniformity and continuity in the gumming operation so that an appreciable speed up in production is obtained.

I claim:

1. An improved method of gumming the flaps of envelopes or bags in the manufacture of envelopes or bags consisting in arranging and supporting the envelopes or bags in overlapping relationship in a continuous line with predetermined areas of their flaps exposed as an uninterrupted surface and traversing the line of envelopes endwise each with an ungammed flap at one end, gumming the exposed areas of the flaps during their translative movement, reversing the direction of travel of the line 01 envelopes or bags and bending the gummed flaps away from each other whilst maintaining their travel after their flaps have been gummed so that the gummed flaps do not contact and the line of envelopes or bags with ungummed flaps is subjacent to the line of envelopes or bags with gummed flaps, heating the two lines of envelopes or bags, transversely bowing. the line of envelopes or bags with the gummed flaps, and maintaining a continuous stream of overlapping envelopes or bags by feeding envelopes or bags successively on to the trailing end of the line of envelopes or bags to maintain a uniform layer and line of travelling envelopes or bags.

2. Apparatus for gumming the flaps on envelopes or bags comprising a pair of conveyors with opposed parallel tracks, means for delivering the envelopes or bags in a continuous line and in an overlapping manner between said tracks, a gumming device at the delivery end of the said conveyors adapted to gum the exposed flaps of the envelopes or bags, further conveying means adapted to feed the envelopes or bags in overlapping relationship over the gumming device, a still further conveyor acting as a discharge conveyor located in spaced relationship above and substantially parallel with the before said parallel pair of conveyors, and means to traverse the envelopes or bags away from the gumming device on to the said discharge conveyor so as to reverse the direction of travel of the envelopes or bags after gumming their flaps.

3. In an envelope or' bag making machine gumming apparatus for gumming the flaps of the shaped envelopes or bags, a frame supporting said gumming apparatus and arranged above the machine, a depending extension at one end of the frame, conveying means supported by said depending extension'adapted to elevate and convey the envelopes or bags to the gumming apparatus,

conveying means, and means to convey the gummed envelopes or bags continuously from the gummlng stage to a delivery point.

4. In an envelope or bag making machine gumming apparatus for gumming the flaps of the shaped envelopes or bags, a frame supporting said gumming apparatus and arranged above the machine, a depending extension at one end of the frame, conveying means supported by said depending extension adapted .to elevate and convey the envelopes' or bags to the gumming apparatus,-

said gumming apparatus comprising gummingmeans, a conveyor and means therewith adapted to maintainthe envelopes or bags in overlapping relationship and in a continuous chain or line with their flaps presenting a continuous face to said gummlng means, the said gumming means being located in juxtaposition to one track of the conveying means, means to convey the gummed envelopes or bagscontinuously from the gumming stage to a delivery' point, and means to adjust the frame relatively to the gumming means for separating the envelope or bag conveying means from the gumming'means. 5. In an envelope or bag making machine gumming apparatus for gumming the flaps of the shaped envelopes or bags, a frame supporting said gumming'apparatus and arranged above the machine, a depending extension to one end of said frame, said depending extensionbeing pivoted to the machine, conveying means supported by said depending extension adapted to elevate and convey the envelopes or bags in an overlapping chain to the gumming apparatus, said gumming apparatus comprising a pair of conveyors with opposed parallel tracks adapted at one end to receive between them the chain of envelopes as to reverse the direction of travel of the en-'- velopes or bags after gummlng the flaps, heating means on the said frame for drying the gummed flaps, and means remote from the pivotal support .of said frame to adjust the frame about its pivotal support relatively to the gummlng device.

6.'Apparatus for gumming the flaps on en- .velopes or bass comprising a pair of conveyors with opposed parallel tracks, means for delivering the envelopes or bags in a continuous line and in an overlapping manner between said tracks, a gummlng device at the delivery end of the said conveyors adapted to gum the exposed flaps of the envelopes or bags, further conveying means adapted to feed the envelopes or bags in overlapping relationship over the gumming device and a still further conveyor, adapted to receive the envelopes or bags with gummed flaps and to convey them away to a dischargezone, said latter conve or being bowed transversely so as to bow the e velopes or ,bags thereon to counteract the curling tendency of the gummed flaps.

7. Apparatus for gummlng the flaps on envelopes or bags comprising a pair of conveyors with opposed-parallel tracks, means for delivering the envelopes or bags in a continuous line and in an overlapping manner between said tracks, a

gummlng device at the delivery end of the said conveyors adapted to gum the exposed flaps of theenvelopes or bags, further conveying means adapted to feed the envelopes or bags in overlapping relationship 'over the gumming device and a still further conveyor adapted to receive the envelopes or bags with gummed flaps and to convey them away to a discharge zone, said latter and adapted toengage the longitudinal marginal parts of the envelopes or bags to maintain them bowed.

HAROLD HOLMYABD BEASLEY. 

